Polysecure equips Röchling Industrial with invisible markers for plastic product authentication
25 Apr 2022 --- Polysecure and Röchling Industrial are forming an exclusive cooperation to add anti-counterfeiting invisible marker technology to plastic products. The technology, branded SmartMarker, will equip Röchling’s products with an “unmistakable identifier.”
SmartMarker enables customers to easily authenticate and identify their components, offering new options in counterfeit protection, digital material passports and recycling cycles.
Furthermore, the technology gives customers three different applications: authentication, identification and tracer-based sorting.
Dr. Axel Höfter, general manager corporate at R&D Röchling Industrial, explains: “We give our plastic products a distinctive identifier made of tiny marker particles. The markers are invisible and do not affect the technical properties of the material. Every component complies with our high standard technical requirements.”
“The cooperation with Polysecure is an important step in the expansion of our smart products,” adds Franz Lübbers, Röchling Industrial’s CEO.
Competitive edge
SmartMarker can be used to rethink and optimize many processes, says Polysecure.
SmartMarker creates “unique” identifiers for plastic products.“We use the new development to further increase the efficiency of our customers and to create a competitive edge,” says Lübbers.
As part of the cooperation, Röchling Industrial says it can now offer almost all plastic products using marker particles by Polysecure, which are specially tailored to the material.
Fingerprint identification
During identification, this marker can be used to determine whether a specific component is involved. For this purpose, a reference surface on the component is determined.
“This reference surface contains a random, and thus individual, irreproducible particle pattern. The pattern gives the component an unmistakable particle fingerprint,” explains Jochen Moesslein, managing director at Polysecure.
Tracer-based sorting
Tracer-based sorting is a technology developed by Polysecure that detects markers in plastics.
“This [tracer-based sorting] opens up entirely new options in the development of recycling cycles involving clients. Tracer-based sorting can be used to sort plastic waste for recycling efficiently and reliably.”
“This creates transparency and dedicated take-back cycles can be established with customers,” explains Höfter.
Authentication, identification and tracer-based sorting offer many new application options for customers, he adds.
The particle pattern of the reference surface is like a fingerprint that can be used to clearly identify the component.Better protection
Authentication and identification can be used to optimize counterfeit protection and the prevention of unjustified complaints.
“Customers can use marker technology to mark their original parts and thus distinguish them later from unmarked ones. In this way, they can protect against counterfeits and unjustified complaints,” says Höfter.
Digital passports
The SmartMarker product can also be used to create digital product passports.
“The particle fingerprint can be digitized and stored in databases. Our customers can save further product and quality-relevant information for their fingerprint – such as material properties, customer information and batch numbers. This is how SmartMarker is used to create a digital product passport,” explains Höfter.
“SmartMarker can be used in a wide variety of ways and creates completely new opportunities for our customers. Together with our partner Polysecure, we tailor the marker and the measurement concept precisely to our customers’ application and jointly increase efficiency,” concludes Lübbers.
Edited
By Natalie Schwertheim
